In Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire, players embark on a dangerous voyage of discovery as they hunt down a god to save their own souls.

Inspired by classic titles such as Baldur’s Gate 2: Shadows of Amn, Icewind Dale, and Planescape: Torment,  Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire will take players on a second fantastic journey to the world of Eora, this time to the vast, uncharted, Deadfire Archipelago where they will fight for their souls as they hunt down a god. 

Eothas has returned. The god of light and rebirth was thought dead, but he now inhabits the stone titan that sat buried under your keep, Caed Nua, for millennia. Ripping his way out of the ground, he destroys your stronghold and leaves you at the brink of death. To save your soul, you must track down the wayward god and demand answers - answers which could throw mortals and the gods themselves into chaos.

Players travel the far-flung region of the titular Deadfire Archipelago by ship, where they will discover new races, visit exotic islands, defend their ships against pirates, and, most importantly, choose their allies carefully, as there are powerful factions to encounter at nearly every port. Bend the world to your will, as you explore the depths of infinite possibilities, including detailed character customization, total freedom of exploration, and more meaningful choices at every turn.

At PAX East, Obsidian announced that the cast of Critical Role will be voicing a variety of characters in Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire.

In case you are familiar with Critical Role, it is a live weekly show, where a band of professional voice actors improvise, role-play and roll their way through an epic Dungeons & Dragons campaign.

Current stars are Matthew Mercer (known for voicing characters in Overwatch, Monster Hunter World, Shadow Of War, Battlefront II, Fire Emblem: Awakening), Sam Riegel (LawBreakers, .hack//G.U. Last Recode), Travis Willingham (Shadow Of War, Sonic Forces, LEGO Marvel Super Heroes), Laura Bailey (The Last of Us: Part II, Uncharted: The Lost Legacy, Dissidia Final Fantasy NT), Marisha Ray (Metal Gear Survive, Final Fantasy XV: Comrades, Friday the 13th: The Game), Liam O'Brien (Horizon Zero Dawn, Sonic Forces, Dissidia Final Fantasy NT), and Taliesin Jaffe (Fire Emblem Warriors, Injustice 2, World of Warcraft: Legion).

“I was such a fan of the original Pillars game, and thoroughly enjoying being a part of the vibrant world the team created,” says voice actor and Critical Role DM, Matthew Mercer. “With the wonderful folks of Obsidian now bringing the entire cast of Critical Role to bring even more of the world of Eora to life, it’s sparked this incredible opportunity to bring our Critical Role characters of Vox Machina into their world via custom art and voice sets. A truly surreal milestone for this D&D nerd.”

“Working closely with the cast of Critical Role to bring Deadfire’s companions and story to life has been an amazing experience,” states Obsidian Entertainment Audio Director, Justin E. Bell, “Their incredible acting talent, ensemble chemistry, and tabletop roleplaying expertise coupled with Obsidian’s expertise in making deep, immersive, CRPG’s is the perfect combination. Together we’ve made something really special that we’re very proud of, and we can’t wait to share it with fans of RPGs when Deadfire releases.”

Building on the gameplay of the first Pillars of Eternity, every aspect of Deadfire has been improved and expanded. Vastly more detailed graphics, deeper game mechanics, increased player choice and reactivity, a new companion relationship system, streamlined combat, and an entirely new, hand-crafted adventure make Deadfire the ultimate cRPG experience.

Key Features:

• Immerse yourself in a deeper single player RPG game experience - enriched with cutting edge technology and features, Deadfire builds on the foundation of classic D&D gameplay with vastly improved graphics, deeper game mechanics and a whole new hand-crafted adventure where choices truly matter.
• Discover the new region of the Deadfire – plot your own course by ship and explore the rich and exotic islands of the archipelago region, discovering new places interacting with their inhabitants and engaging in a variety of quests at every port.
• Build your party and customize your companions – choose from 7 different companions to join you on your quest and assign multiple classes and deeper abilities for each. Witness their personal relationships and interactions unfold with the addition of the new companion system.
• Captain your ship across the seas – as your stronghold on the seas, your ship is much more than simply a vessel for exploring. Upgrade your ship and crew and choose what skills you improve in order to survive dangerous encounters along the way.

Consumers can now digitally pre-order the Standard, Deluxe, and Obsidian Editions through Steam, GOG.com, and Obsidian.net, as well as other digital retailers. The physical Obsidian Edition of the game, which includes additional in-game content and physical items for gamers to enjoy, is available for pre-order at all major gaming retail stores.

By pre-ordering the Standard, Deluxe, or Obsidian Edition, fans will receive three unique in-game digital items:

• St. Drogga's Skull – Crafted from a sabre and the skull of a martyr it will slash and burn enemies in combat, while also guiding players through the darkest reaches of the Deadfire.
• Beakhead, the Hawk (In-Game Pet): Beakhead, the white hawk, took a liking to your ship soon after you arrived in the Deadfire. Captains in the Deadfire are only as effective as their crew, and with this jaunty first-mate by your side you're bound to find success at sea.
• The Black Flag: This flag is said to have been flown by a mysterious and rowdy band of seadogs from a far-off land, who dyed their sails black with a stain made from ground-up dragon glass. Dark and intimidating, but somehow attractive, nonetheless.

The standard edition of Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire will cost $49.99, digital and physical retail, while the Deluxe Edition will be priced at $59.99. The Deluxe Edition will include the game’s official soundtrack composed by Justin Bell, composer of the soundtrack to the first Pillars of Eternity. Additionally, the Deluxe Edition includes: an in-game pet, a Deadfire themed special in-game item, a digital pen and paper RPG starter guide, a high-resolution game map, and Volume II of the digital guide book, published by Dark Horse.  

The Obsidian Edition is priced at $74.99 for the digital version, and includes everything that comes in the Deluxe Edition as well as the first three DLC expansions for Pillars of Eternity II, which each cost $9.99 to purchase separately, although these will not be available for separate purchase until the game’s official launch.

The physical version of the Obsidian Edition will cost $79.99, and will include the same content as its digital cousin, but also additional, physical rewards: a cloth map of the Deadfire region, an Explorer’s notepad and a set of postcards that render the Deadfire Archipelago in beautiful detail.

Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire will launch this May 8, 2018 on PC, Mac, and Linux platforms, with PS4, Xbox One and Switch versions during holiday 2018.